Pilotaydin From Turkey, joined Sep 2004, 2498 posts, RR: 50 Posted (6 years 11 months 4 weeks 5 hours ago) and read 3271 times:
I was having lunch at the mall across the field and this lovely Qantas 744 landed and rolled out today around 2 hours ago....there were no emergency vehicles and it taxied to a gate and shut down....
fuel stop? or is QF starting an IST service
The only time there is too much fuel onboard, is when you're on fire!
NZ767 From New Zealand, joined Nov 2001, 1620 posts, RR: 1 Reply 1, posted (6 years 11 months 4 weeks 5 hours ago) and read 3266 times:
Probably a cruise ship charter.
QF does a lot of those out of Heathrow during what would otherwise be the 744's layover time before departing back to SIN and BKK.
Dutchjet From Netherlands, joined Oct 2000, 7864 posts, RR: 58 Reply 2, posted (6 years 11 months 4 weeks 5 hours ago) and read 3247 times:
Yep, is a cruise charter......probably one of the large cruise ships docked in IST today, the QF 744 brought a plane load of people to IST to start the new cruise and will bring back pax who completed the cruise that ended this morning.
QF does a good amount of work like this, their 744s spend a good amont of time at LHR between flights, and a "quick" turn is easily accomplished between flights......LHR-BCN-LHR flights are operated with some regularity in conjuction with cruises that begin/end in Barcelona.
Stylo777 From Turkey, joined Feb 2006, 2870 posts, RR: 12 Reply 3, posted (6 years 11 months 4 weeks ago) and read 3083 times:
It's a great pity that QF only lands on charter flights or emergency situations in IST. I would be great to see QF flying to SYD with a stop-over somewhere in asia. But I guess their is not a big demand to be profitable and attractive to force QF into IST. Maybe sometime in the future
Dutchjet From Netherlands, joined Oct 2000, 7864 posts, RR: 58 Reply 5, posted (6 years 11 months 3 weeks 6 days 23 hours ago) and read 3063 times:
Quoting RJpieces (Reply 4):
Do you happen to know their schedule roughly? How much time are they on the ground at LHR?
QF has atleast one 744 that arrives in the early morning hours (about 0600) and is not scheduled to depart for its return trip until the late evening (say 2200)......on a daily basis.
Stylo777 From Turkey, joined Feb 2006, 2870 posts, RR: 12 Reply 6, posted (6 years 11 months 3 weeks 6 days 23 hours ago) and read 3052 times:
Don't know about LHR but in FRA they are sitting all the day around!
QF05 arrives at 05:40 in the morning and stays 18h15 till 23:55 to depart to SIN as QF06.
Dutchjet From Netherlands, joined Oct 2000, 7864 posts, RR: 58 Reply 8, posted (6 years 11 months 3 weeks 6 days 23 hours ago) and read 3022 times:
Quoting RJpieces (Reply 7): So does anyone know where the IST flight was coming from--LHR, FRA?
The cruise charters are generally out of London.....Qantas has some type of arrangement with P&O/Princess (now part of Carnival Lines) with respect to the charters (this is what I have been told, no first hand knowledge) and the QF charter flights are sold as part of Air/Sea holiday packages which are marketed in the UK through select travel agents.
The UK packages operate on specific dates....ie, out of a series of cruises, a handful will be marketed in the UK with charter flights. And, so much depends upon the UK sales...sometimes +/-400 pax will be assigned the charter while another 100 pax will fly with scheduled services on various airlines.
QFATWA From Australia, joined Jun 1999, 710 posts, RR: 0 Reply 14, posted (6 years 11 months 3 weeks 6 days 18 hours ago) and read 2824 times:
The Cabin Crew are London based.
The Flight Crew are Sydney based - with 4 flights in and four out per day and up to 48-60 hour layovers, the schedulers have flexibility in putting in charters.
Three QF flights arrive early morning:
QF1 from SYD-BKK
QF9 from MEL-SIN
QF31 from SYD-SIN
and after lunch is
QF29 from MEL-HKG.
Departures at lunch are:
QF30 to HKG-MEL
QF32 to SIN-SYD
and in the evening is:
QF2 to BKK-SYD
QF10 to SIN-MEL
so effectively, only one is in LHR all day, with two in and out by lunch, and one in after lunch and out in the evening.
Also the aircraft which arrives from BKK may go to HKG, the one on 9 may leave on 32 etc. They are kept moving,
If there is a major fault, especially cabin comfort, the aircraft will be chosen to stay for the day to do catch up maintenance at BA. Then there is a shuffle!!
Crew are always advised before landing to where the aircraft will return, so they can order stocks for that flight. This may change during the day!!
Nah, none in that part of the world using a private aircraft at the curent time, BUT have a look at the 6-22 October to Central & South America tour! If you want to see a QF B747-300 in some REALLY unusual places check out the web site 6thfreedom metioned and click on the South America, Mexico & Cuba link.
SYD non stop to Merida, then Havana, Manaus, Rio, Iguassu Falls, Lima, Easter Island and SYD! Get those camera out, be first on A.net with a QF B743 in Mexico, Cuba, Brazil, Preu AND Easter Island!
QFATWA From Australia, joined Jun 1999, 710 posts, RR: 0 Reply 19, posted (6 years 11 months 3 weeks 6 days 11 hours ago) and read 2581 times:
Almost 400 QF cabin crew are in London - doing three flights a day (15 crew per aircraft) on a 4 day trip with three days off - so minimum is 45 x 7 = 315 plus some for reserve, some for office duties/training plus annual leave coverage. The Sydney crew do the 31/32, all other flights are operated to/from Asia by London crew - once daily to BKK, SIN and HKG.
Under 200 are from the Australian operation on a two year contract, which may be extended to three years (maximum) due to Immigration laws. Anyone holding EU resident/work rights may stay longer.
Airbuseric From Netherlands, joined Jan 2005, 4015 posts, RR: 52 Reply 20, posted (6 years 11 months 3 weeks 6 days 9 hours ago) and read 2527 times:
Quoting Stylo777 (Reply 6): Don't know about LHR but in FRA they are sitting all the day around!
QF05 arrives at 05:40 in the morning and stays 18h15 till 23:55 to depart to SIN as QF06.
Not tomorrow (June 5th), as it flies a charter FRA-RTM-STR-FRA in betweeen!
Should be great seeing a 744 in operation at RTM!
"The whole world steps aside for the man who knows where he is going"
RJpieces From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 21, posted (6 years 11 months 3 weeks 6 days ago) and read 2288 times:
Thanks for the info, QFATWA. Lots of questions though!
Quoting QFATWA (Reply 19): Almost 400 QF cabin crew are in London
Are these British nationals or Australians? How does it work...Are people generally based at LHR for a career or do float back and forth? Do the LHR crews generally have more senority or is it a notdesired domiscile?
Quoting QFATWA (Reply 19): three flights a day (15 crew per aircraft) on a 4 day trip with three days off -
What are the routings usually?
Quoting QFATWA (Reply 19): The Sydney crew do the 31/32, all other flights are operated to/from Asia by London crew - once daily to BKK, SIN and HKG.
Why have the Sydney crew do 31/32 if they have an F/A base at LHR? Just to give Sydney F/As the option perhaps? Also, do the LHR crews just fly to Asia and then back to London or do they fly them all the way down to Australia?
Quoting QFATWA (Reply 19): Under 200 are from the Australian operation on a two year contract, which may be extended to three years (maximum) due to Immigration laws. Anyone holding EU resident/work rights may stay longer
Is this just a special case or do they float Australians through there?
Miami1 From Australia, joined Feb 2001, 706 posts, RR: 0 Reply 23, posted (6 years 11 months 3 weeks 4 days 8 hours ago) and read 2101 times:
Quoting RJpieces (Reply 21): Are these British nationals or Australians? How does it work...Are people generally based at LHR for a career or do float back and forth? Do the LHR crews generally have more senority or is it a notdesired domiscile?
Under half the 400 crew are Australian nationals who have taken leave without pay from "Qantas" to work for "Qantas Cabin Crew UK Pty Ltd". These crew will come back to their old Australian-based position and seniority when they return.
The remainder of LHR-based crew are UK nationals etc who work solely for "Qantas Cabin Crew UK Pty Ltd". These crew are not on the QF Global Seniority List for bidding purposes (as with AKL and BKK crew and Short Haul casual crew). LHR base do not bid for their rosters.
Quoting RJpieces (Reply 21): Why have the Sydney crew do 31/32 if they have an F/A base at LHR? Just to give Sydney F/As the option perhaps?
These was agreed to with the FAAA (Union) to sweeten the deal to open a LHR base and increase the number of foreign crew. Aussie-based Long Haul crew also get a free Staff Travel trip to LHR every year.
Quoting RJpieces (Reply 21): Also, do the LHR crews just fly to Asia and then back to London or do they fly them all the way down to Australia?
LHR crew fly solely to Asia and back. They do not go on to Australia. They also operate these charters ex-LHR.
Emrecan From Turkey, joined Feb 2000, 914 posts, RR: 8 Reply 24, posted (6 years 11 months 3 weeks 4 days 7 hours ago) and read 2057 times:
Aydin.....
where was your cam? I hope you took a picture of this lady...
I would like to see the pic of the 744 on runway 18/36
25 YUAMB: that was a charter taking the australian soccer team from rotterdam to stuttgart since qantas is the official airline of the 'socceroos'
26 Stylo777: I just looked outside of the terminal window and saw this jumbo running down the taxiway for sure it was faster than some other 32x and 73x !
27 QANTAS077: a/c was VH-OJB that ferried the team from Holland to Germany.
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